| title | SQL Server Configuration Manager Help | |
|---|---|---|
| description | Get acquainted with SQL Server Configuration Manager. Learn how to use it to manage SQL Server services and configure network connectivity. | |
| author | rwestMSFT | |
| ms.author | randolphwest | |
| ms.date | 12/15/2025 | |
| ms.service | sql | |
| ms.subservice | tools-other | |
| ms.topic | concept-article | |
| ms.collection |
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| helpviewer_keywords |
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| monikerRange | >=sql-server-2016 |
[!INCLUDE SQL Server Windows Only]
Use [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] Configuration Manager to configure [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] services and configure network connectivity.
To create or manage database objects, configure security, and write [!INCLUDE tsql] queries, use [!INCLUDE ssManStudioFull]. For more information, see What is SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS)?
Tip
If you need to configure [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] on Linux, use the mssql-conf tool. For more information, see Configure SQL Server on Linux with the mssql-conf tool.
This section contains the F1 Help articles for the dialogs in [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] Configuration Manager.
Note
[!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] Configuration Manager can't configure versions of [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] earlier than [!INCLUDE ssVersion2005].
[!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] Configuration Manager manages services that are related to [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion]. Although many of these tasks can be accomplished using the Windows Services dialog, is important to note that [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] Configuration Manager performs additional operations on the services it manages, such as applying the correct permissions when the service account is changed. Using the normal Windows Services dialog to configure any of the [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] services might cause the service to malfunction.
Use [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] Configuration Manager for the following tasks for services:
- Start, stop, and pause services
- Configure services to start automatically or manually, disable the services, or change other service settings
- Change the passwords for the accounts used by the [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] services
- Start [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] using trace flags (command line parameters)
- View the properties of services
Use [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] Configuration Manager for the following tasks related to the [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] services on this computer:
- Enable or disable a [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] network protocol
- Configure a [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] network protocol
Note
For a short tutorial about how to configure protocols and connect to the [!INCLUDE ssDEnoversion], see Tutorial: Get started with the Database Engine.
Important
[!INCLUDE snac-removed-oledb-and-odbc]
[!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] clients connect to [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] by using the [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] Native Client network library. Use [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] Configuration Manager for the following tasks related to client applications on this computer:
-
For [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] client applications on this computer, specify the protocol order, when connecting to instances of [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion].
-
Configure client connection protocols.
-
For [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] client applications, create aliases for instances of [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion], so that clients can connect using a custom connection string.
For more information about each of these tasks, see F1 help for each task.
Because SQL Server Configuration Manager is a snap-in for the [!INCLUDE msconame-md] Management Console program and not a stand-alone program, SQL Server Configuration Manager doesn't always appear as an application in some versions of Windows.
To open SQL Server Configuration Manager, type SQLServerManager17.msc (for [!INCLUDE sssql25-md]) from the Start menu. For other versions, replace 17 with the appropriate number. You can pin SQL Server Configuration Manager to the Start menu or Task Bar by right-clicking SQLServerManager17.msc and selecting Open file location. Then, right-click the file and select Pin to Start or Pin to Taskbar.